Softball To Open Season Versus Austin Peay

The Holy Cross softball team will begin the 2014 season on Monday, March 3 at Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tenn. for a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m. The Crusaders will spend six days in Tennessee and play eight more games as part of the team's spring break trip.

Holy Cross had five players earn preseason recognition as sophomore Colleen Ahern (Northbrook, Ill.) and Emily Jarvis (Hopkinton, Mass.) were named to the preseason All-Patriot League team, as voted on by coaches and sports information directors from the conference's seven teams. Ahern, Jarvis, Barrett and sophomore Gennifer Durham (Abbeville, S.C.) and Hailey Mullen (Plainville, Mass.) were also selected to College Sports Madness' preseason All-Conference teams, as selected by the website's staff.

Jarvis led the team with 45 hits, 32 runs and 18 stolen bases during her freshman campaign, starting all 44 games. She finished with four home runs, 17 runs batted in, a .349 batting average and a .512 slugging percentage. Ahern started 42 of 43 games last season and finished tied for first on the team with 21 runs batted in. She was second on the team with 34 hits and fourth with 46 total bases. She finished with a .283 batting average, two home runs and six doubles.

In the circle, Durham finished her rookie campaign with a team-low 3.27 earned run average. She made 21 starts and appeared in four more games, striking out 58 batters in 130 and two-thirds innings pitched. She also recorded the first seven inning perfect game in Holy Cross history against Colgate on April 13. Barrett led the Crusader staff with 76 strikeouts in 114 and two-thirds innings pitched last season. She made 17 starts and appeared in 23 games as a junior and finished with an ERA of 3.66.

Holy Cross was selected to finish sixth in the Patriot League preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's coaches and sports information directors, after finished the 2013 season with a record of 13-31 and 7-13 in the league. Lehigh was selected to finish first with 66 points and eight first place votes. Conference newcomer Boston University was selected second with 63 points and three first place votes. Army landed third with 55 points and three first place votes, followed by Colgate (40 points), Bucknell (36), Holy Cross (18) and Lafayette (16).

With the addition of Boston University to the conference this year, there will be a new format in league play. Teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday, as opposed to previous years when a doubleheader would be played each day.

Check out a season preview video with head coach Brian Claypool and seniors Julia Barrett, Kelliner Croushore and Alex Gustafson: